CCG launches care home pilot

CCG launches care home pilot

GPs are piloting a new way of caring for residential home patients in Cumbria.

The Kendal Care Home Pilot, approved by Cumbria clinical commissioning group (CCG) will allow a multi-disciplinary team to work with three GP practices for 15 months.

Following evaluation, the scheme could become a permanent service in Kendal and will then be rolled out across the South Lakes.

The pilot has been led by Dr Paul Atkinson of The James Cochrane Practice who said: “The plan has an ambitious target of reducing unscheduled hospital admissions from care homes in Kendal by 20 per cent.

“The key to the project is proactive care of those in nursing and residential homes, improving the proportion of older people with a care plan which anticipates health issues and can act to prevent many health concerns developing.”

NHS Cumbria CCG Clinical Chair, Dr Hugh Reeve said: "This pilot project is a great example of how we are working toward improving care to respond to the challenges of an ageing population.”

The three Kendal GP Practices, working with the CGG, have created a system to better manage their nursing and care home residents, improving services and reducing the number of unnecessary hospital admissions.

The pilot also includes supporting the new 120 bed care home in Kendal, which has increased the overall number of such beds in the town by more than a third.